Improvement in reed-organs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

RAPHAEL E. LETTON, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN REED-ORGANS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 141,510, dated August5, 1873; application filed May 8, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAPHAEL E. LETTON, of Quincy, Adams county,Illinois, have invented certa-in new and useful Improvements in ReedInstruments, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to reed-organs and other analogous musicalinstruments operated by the action of exhaustbellows; and consists inarranging the valve slots through which the air passes into theexhaust-chamher, in combination with apertures and boards beneath thereeds, in such manner that the speaking-space may be enlarged. ordiminished, and the line of sound directed at the pleasure of themanufacturer 3 the object being to provide a simple and effective meansof controlling the tone, quantity, and quality of the sound of thereeds.

Figurel is a sectional side view of a device embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

A in the accompanying drawings is the baseboard, of usual form, andprovided with aproper exhaust-orifice. O is the sounding-board, which isalso of any usual construction. N N are the reeds, placed on either sideof and above the slot D in the base-board A, its length de pending uponthe character of sound to be produced. The valve 0 is attached to theunder side of the board G for opening or closing the slot F.

When a loud tone is desired the slots D and F are constructed in suchmanner as to subject the reed to the direct action of the current ofair, as shown in the reed N. By this arrangement an unobstructed exitfor the air is afforded, the line of the sound being nearly straight,and, there being ample speakingspace, a loud and penetrating toneresults.

When a subdued tone is desired the slot D is extended under the reed,while the board 0 projects beyond and below the point thereof; thus thepassage of the current of air is obstructed, as shown in the reed N. Bythis arrangement the air is drawn through the pipelike cavity formed bythe portion of the slot D below the reed N, and a subdued and mellowtone results. Thus the invention is capable of producing notes ofdifterent character. The above effects may be produced by dispensingwith the board 0 and constructing the board A with an aperturecorresponding to that formed by the united slots D and F.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The reed-board A 0 provided with the slots D and F, the valve 6, andreeds N and N, when said parts are constructed, combined, and arrangedsubstantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in reed instrumentsas above described I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

RAPHAEL E. LETTON. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

(inns. N. LETTON, H. HEAD.

